Boyfriend
by LexisMom
Summary: An AU version of what could have happened with Pete. As with most of my stories S/J is the central relationship. There’ll be off-world fun, too. Rated T for now, but will likely change to M in later chapters. Trigger Warning: Mild domestic violence.
1. Chapter-1:Out

Samantha Carter's head snapped back from the unexpected blow as her brain registered the pain and shock.

"Oh my God, Sam," Pete cried out, grabbing her upper arm. "I didn't mean to hit you!"

Jerking her arm away from him, Sam ran her tongue over the freshly split lip. The distinct coppery taste made her blood boil as she glared at the man who had dared to touch her violently.

"Tell me," she said too calmly, unable to keep the venom from her voice, "how do you not mean to hit someone."

"Please, Sam," he begged, looking completely helpless. "You gotta know I'd never hurt you on purpose. It was—I was surprised, you shouldn't have just blurted it out like that!"

"So it's my fault?" Sam's carefully guarded control was starting to slip. How the hell could Pete have fooled her so easily? She'd thought he was one of the good guys. Obviously, she was mistaken.

She had just told him she wanted to postpone the wedding for a few months. After being abducted by Fifth on the last mission, which he hadn't even given her time to tell him about, she needed to regain her internal bearings before committing to someone forever.

Pete had immediately jumped down her throat, screaming about her inappropriate feelings for her team—one member in particular—and accused her of cheating. She'd called him an insecure ass, which immediately preceded the backhand across her face.

"No, it's not your fault, but you shouldn't provoke me like that, baby," he reached for her. Sam sidestepped his hand and glared. If Pete thought she'd just forgive and forget, he had another thing coming. The asshole was lucky he was still standing.

A knock at the door drew their attention as Sam moved to answer it.

"Leave it," Pete ordered, his voice belying his tender playacting. He might want her to think he was ashamed of his behavior, but it was obvious he wasn't.

"It's my guys," she said simply, watching his face contort with anger. Her wording 'my guys' had been specific for a reason.

"You mean it's _him_," Pete snarled as he stalked forward to block her path.

"Pete," Sam said firmly, "move."

"We're not done with our conversation yet," he ordered and Sam couldn't help the scoff that emerged from her.

"We are so done," Sam said darting around him to open the door for her commanding officer, Daniel, and Teal'c.


	2. Chapter-2

"Hey Carter—" Colonel Jack O'Neill bit off his greeting as he took one look at his second-in-command's face. Her right cheek was slightly swollen and her lip had been busted open. He knew for a fact there hadn't been a mark on her a few hours ago when she'd left the base to go home to grab her hiking gear and talk with Pete. "What the hell happened?!"

"I'll explain later," she told him stiffly, but he saw apprehension in her eyes; noticed the rigidity of her stance. Beside him Teal'c shifted from easy-going friend mode into Jaffa warrior as he also assessed the situation.

"Sam and I are in the middle of a conversation," Pete's voice was tense as he came up behind her. "We'd like to finish it, if you don't mind."

"We mind," Jack warned. He felt Daniel place a hand firmly on his shoulder and knew the archeologist was trying to stop him from pummeling the man.

"I'm leaving," Sam said at the same time and stepped forward, Jack and Daniel automatically made room for her on the porch as Teal'c moved to block Pete's advance. "I expect you to pack your things and be gone by the time I get back,"she ordered without turning around to face him.

"Sam wait, please," Pete's tone changed to pleading. Jack watched as his officer's shoulders started to slump forward; the control she exhibited was starting to slip. While Jack wanted to punch first and ask questions later, he knew that's not what she needed.

"Daniel," Jack ordered without taking his eyes off of Pete, "take Carter to the car and wait for me."

"Sir—" Sam started to protest, but stopped to give him the tiniest nod of approval. She always trusted him to have her six in the past and she trusted him now.

"O'Neill," Pete bit out through clenched teeth, "none of this concerns you. Stay out of our business."

Jack waited until Sam and Daniel were off the porch before he answered.

"You're lucky I don't end you where you stand, Shanahan," Jack dropped his calm facade and let the man see the rage behind his eyes. It was satisfying when Pete retreated an involuntary step back at the fury radiating from him. The coward.

"Was that a threat?" Pete asked after regaining some equilibrium and schooling his features. Jack didn't care if the man pretended to be tough, he'd already seen his fear.

"Absolutely," Jack took a step forward. "I know Carter can take care of herself, and I respect her enough not to interfere, but if you touch her again," he let the threat trail off.

"You just knowingly threatened a police officer," Pete taunted.

"And you just knowingly assaulted an Air Force Officer," Jack reminded him. "Don't forget who you're dealing with. I expect you to heed her orders and be gone by the time we get back."

OoooOoooOoooO

Jack tried to calm down as he walked toward the SUV. That man had dared to hurt Carter!

"You handled that well, O'Neill," Teal'c said as he walked beside him, finally speaking for the first time.

"I figured you'd have preferred inflicting bodily harm," Jack answered, then took a deep steadying breath. He didn't want Carter to see him this shaken.

"Indeed," Teal'c said darkly, "however, that would have not benefited Major Carter."

Jack nodded once. That's precisely why he hadn't escalated the situation. The last thing Carter needed was to become the center of attention if the neighbors called the police because Jack impulsively beat the crap out of the idiot.

Daniel and Sam sat in the back of the SUV, so Jack slipped into the driver's seat while Teal'c took shotgun. He forced himself not to look directly at her, but met her eyes in the rear view mirror as he backed the vehicle down the driveway.

"Carter?" He said the one word knowing it would be enough.

"Just drive, sir," she answered solemnly, but he was pleased to see fire in her eyes.

The four of them rode in companionable silence. Their original destination that morning had been a hiking trail a few miles into the mountains. It had been Daniel's idea to reconnect with one another after the last several months of Jack being literally frozen, followed by Sam's abduction. Despite what had happened, he saw no reason to change their plans. They did need to re-establish their bond as a team—maybe now more than ever.

OoooOoooOoooO

Daniel watched Sam carefully as Jack drove them through the wilderness. It was obvious they were still heading for the trailhead, and despite his reservations, Daniel understood Jack's apparent need to keep everything normal. After the past few months, they could all use a little normalcy.

He couldn't believe Pete had the audacity to lay a hand on Sam. They'd all seen the Goa'uld commit much worse atrocities, but knowing Pete, a human who was supposed to be one of the good guys, could do something so vile was sobering. Daniel grimaced as he remembered he had actually thought to befriend the jerk after the wedding.

"I'm sorry, Sam," he whispered.

"Not your fault," she replied, reaching to give his hand a gentle squeeze. "He had me fooled, too." Daniel smiled softly at her ability to read him so well and that she'd known he was apologizing for not recognizing the warning signs.

"So that was the first time?" Jack asked from the driver's seat, his eyes flickering in the rear view mirror.

"Of course!" Sam sounded offended. "I'd never stay with a man who hit me. It's why I left now."

Daniel watched Jack nod once before returning his focus to the road. He was surprised his friend was taking the events of today so calmly, but then he'd known SG-1's leader long enough to recognize the barely contained rage.

"On Chulak, I would kill anyone who dared to hurt my family," Teal'c said firmly, breaking the silence around them once more.

"Thanks Teal'c," Sam said with a quiet half chuckle at his intense sincerity. "I feel the same way about you, too."


	3. Chapter-3

The seven mile hike into the mountains was exactly what Sam needed to clear her head. The fresh air and physical activity pushed the adrenaline out of her veins quickly. After what happened with Pete, she'd forgot to grab her hiking pack and supplies, but the guys just shrugged and offered to share their food and water. They were a team and would always be a team, no matter how far apart life pulled them.

"I'd known for some time I didn't really love him," Sam said aloud as the four of them stood looking up at a waterfall brilliantly lit by the afternoon sun. When no one said anything, she continued. "I told him I wanted to postpone the wedding, but I knew it was a lie. I wanted to cancel it all together."

"Is that why he struck you?" Daniel asked.

"Dammit Daniel, that doesn't make it okay," Jack admonished.

"I know," Daniel protested, "I didn't mean it like that! Jeez Jack. I just wanted to know if that's what supposedly set him off."

"I understand," Sam said, and she did. Jack was clearly still on edge or he would never jump down Daniel's throat. It was obvious what their friend had meant. "That's what set him off," she confirmed.

"He was losing control of you," Teal'c said, turning to look at her. "The weak-minded attack what they cannot control."

"Perceptive," Sam bowed her head, "and probably correct."

"I have noticed a change in you Samantha Carter," Teal'c said, surprising her.

"You have?"

"We all have," Jack growled, launching a rock into the body of water. "And I wouldn't let them say anything."

"It is not your fault, O'Neill," Teal'c said firmly as Sam suddenly realized why Jack was still so upset. He blamed himself.

"Isn't it?" Jack turned toward them. "We all noticed the subtle changes, but I ordered you to leave her alone."

"It was an order I chose to follow," Teal'c argued. "I, too, believed I was allowing my protectiveness of Samantha Carter cloud my judgement."

"Teal'c's right," Daniel added.

"Guys," Sam interrupted their moment, "what changes?" What the hell were they talking about. She hadn't changed, had she?

"It's just little things, Sam," Daniel answered for the group. "You started wearing makeup more."

"So?" She'd wanted you look more feminine, what was wrong with that?

"You stopped advocating for yourself off-world," Teal'c told her.

"I did?" Sam thought back to their last few missions. She'd performed admirably. In fact, if it wasn't for her they wouldn't have gotten home on several occasions. But come to think of it, maybe she had questioned her own judgement a bit more. Chosen to follow instead of lead.

"You stopped coming to team nights," Daniel said softly, and she realized he was right. She'd chosen Pete over them, but worse, she'd chosen Pete over herself.

"You stopped smiling," Jack finally said. "You stopped being you, and I ignored it."

OoooOoooOoooO

Jack stood apart from his team, tossing rocks into the lake and focusing on the ripples each one formed. The ripples expanded outward until they became a tangled mess of disturbances across the entire surface. Funny how one little thing could have such an overwhelming effect.

"Carter," Jack said as he sensed her presence behind him.

"Sir," she said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Carter," he shifted uneasily. "None of this is your fault."

"That's not entirely true, sir, and you know it," she walked to stand next to him, their arms almost touching. "I should have seen what he was doing; how he was working to isolate me from my friends and family. I've been trained to withstand Goa'uld mind control!"

"Guys like Pete are so much worse than the Goa'uld," Jack told her. "You know not to trust a snake, but Pete made you believe he loved you. He used the very thing that makes you good and strong against you." He crossed his arms over his chest as memories of a younger woman surged through his brain; someone else he'd failed.

"It sounds like you've had experience with guys like Pete," Sam said perceptively, but then she'd always been able to read him like a book.

"One of my sisters married a man like him," Jack blinked back tears that threatened to fill his eyes. "I was too stupid to realize what it meant when she started to withdraw from the family. I thought she was choosing him over us, so I dressed her down and walked away. I was overseas when word finally reached me that he'd put her in the ICU."

"Oh, Jack," Sam said softly, twining her fingers with his to offer what little support she could.

"It was a long time ago," Jack sighed. "She's remarried to a good man with a couple of kids now."

"And her first husband?"

"He'll never hurt anyone again," he answered. "I made sure of it." That was one missing person case Jack was positive would never be solved. "I just wish I would have learned from the past and helped you instead of turning a blind eye to what was really happening."

"Sir, there was nothing you could have done," Sam said honestly. "I probably wouldn't have listened. Up until today, I refused to see the pattern of escalating emotional abuse."

"Maybe I could have made you see—"

"Sir, stop. It doesn't matter." Jack looked at her when she squeezed his hand tightly. "You were there for me today. You're here for me now. That's what counts."

Jack wasn't ready to accept absolution so easily, but he kept that to himself. Instead, he squeezed her fingers back and forced a sad smile. For now, it was enough.

"I don't want to leave yet," Sam sighed softly, turning her attention to the waterfall.

"Then let's stay," Daniel said joining them. It was obvious to Jack they had been giving him and Sam privacy, but had probably overheard everything.

"We don't have any overnight gear," Sam protested half-heartedly.

"We have been stranded off-world with far less," Teal'c replied, arching an eyebrow. He was right.

"Plus there's no need for anyone to stand watch tonight," Daniel rocked forward on his heels.

"Indeed," Teal'c smiled.

Jack grinned at the guys' idea. "Whatcha say, Carter? Wanna rough it for the night?"

For the first time in a long while, his second-in-command smiled a true grin as she stepped forward and wrapped both Daniel and Teal'c into a big hug.


	4. Chapter-4

Two chapters in one day!?! Yes! I've got a family commitment tomorrow, so just in case I do not have time to post tomorrow's chapter, I decided to post it today. Enjoy!

—0–0–0–0–0

The sun was straight overhead by the time SG-1 made it back to the SUV the next day. Their moods were much lighter than when they'd began their trek. Despite the fatigue each one felt for staying up too late reminiscing about previous missions, they appeared rested and rejuvenated.

Sam stopped to watch Daniel playfully try to shove Teal'c as they exited the trailhead. Teal'c, sensing the younger man's intent, waited until the last second and side-stepped the motion, causing Daniel to stumble forward. Jack, knowing what was coming, grabbed a hold of Daniel's jacket and hauled him upright.

"What did I say about sneaking up on a Jaffa?" He asked in an exasperated, but joking tone.

"You wear you intentions on your face, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told him with a grin. "You are a most easy to anticipate opponent."

Sam laughed at Daniel's crestfallen expression, drawing all three men's attentions.

"What?" Jack asked, clearly delighted by the sound.

"I just remembered why I love you all so much," she said, not caring that she'd lumped Jack and love into the same sentence. They all grinned at her.

Even after Teal'c and Daniel had fallen asleep last night—she had a suspicion Teal'c had been faking—she and Jack had stayed up talking. He'd told her more about his sister and had let her vent about failing to recognize Pete's controlling tendencies. Eventually, they'd moved onto happier topics, and he'd had to tell her more than once to stop giggling.

She'd fallen asleep on his shoulder, but had woken up wrapped in his arms, her ear pressed against his heart. Neither one of them had said anything about their sleeping positions this morning, nor had they rushed to get up. She had been content to lay there listening to the steady thump of his heart; he seemed willing to just hold her. When Daniel began to stir they'd separated without a word and waited in silence for their teammates to wake up. It wasn't the first time in eight years she'd unexpectedly woke up in his arms, but it was the first time since she'd started seeing Pete. Sadness descended as she realized how much she had withdrawn from them.

"None of that," Jack interrupted her thoughts. "No dwelling."

"You're right," she pushed her emotions aside as she joined them, taking the front passenger seat for the ride home. "It's time to put all of this behind me. Let's go home."

OoooOoooOoooO

Sam's house was eerily silent in a way that set warning bells off in Jack's head. While he knew Pete wouldn't blatantly make a scene, he expected some sort of passive aggressive response.

"Looks like Pete's gone," Daniel said from the backseat.

"Maybe," Sam said sharing a look with Jack.

Jack's cell phone rang, startling all four team members.

"O'Neill," he answered. General Hammond's voice on the other end sent a chill through him. Their former CO had travelled from Washington to debrief them and Dr. Weir after Jack had been revived and Sam recovered from Fifth. He was scheduled to fly back last night, yet the number on Jack's caller ID was from the base.

"Jack," Hammond barked, "is Major Carter with you?"

"She is, sir," Jack said cutting his eyes to Sam, who mouthed 'what.'

Hammond's sigh was heavy. "We've got a problem. Call SG-1 and get everyone to base."

"That'll be easy, Sir," Jack replied, "Daniel and Teal'c are with us, too."

"They are?" Hammond's surprise was evident and disturbing.

"Of course," Jack bristled. "What the hell is going on, George?" He dropped the military pretense. Whatever was going on wasn't good.

"A pain in my ass is what's going on," Hammond muttered. "Just get SG-1 in here now. And tell Sam I'm on her side."

"Yes, sir," Jack said, hanging up the phone. Hammond was still in Colorado Springs and had called Carter 'Sam' and not Major. That familiarity meant Hammond was sending him a message. Whatever was going on was personal. Jack's gut clenched. He prayed he wasn't right because if he was, then what the hell had Pete done?


	5. Chapter-5

Guess who had time to post a new chapter this morning!! My kiddo was up at 3am, so I had some time to read/review while she went back to sleep. I apologize if there are any sleep-deprived errors.

Just as a clarification, this story is set in the short time between when Jack was unfrozen / Sam was recovered from Fifth, but before Dr. Weir told Jack he was going to become Brigadier General. In my mind, she's in Washington right now debriefing the President and receiving permission for Jack (and Sam's) promotion.

—0—0—0—0—0—0—

SG-1 was still wearing their civilian clothes when they walked into a briefing room on sub-level 10 of the Cheyenne Mountain complex. Sam wished she had time for a shower, but the only way General Hammond would still be here was for an emergency.

The first thing she noticed upon entering the room made her stop in her tracks. Behind her, Daniel and Teal'c bumped into each other at her sudden halt.

"Mark?" She asked incredulously. Sitting next to her brother was Pete. "What are you doing here?"

"Sam, thank God you're okay," Mark stood and practically flew around the table before engulfing her in his arms. She sent a dark look at Pete, noting the satisfied look on his face. What the hell was going on?

"We were worried sick," Pete said easily. "Ever since O'Neill abducted you—"

"Colonel O'Neill what!?" Sam yelled louder than was necessary.

"According to Officer Shanahan," General Hammond explained, "Colonel O'Neill came to your home and ordered you to go with him yesterday."

"I was so worried when you didn't come home last night, sweetheart," Pete said smoothly.

"Are you high?" Jack finally said from his position just outside the door. "I don't know what tales this guy has been spinning, sir, but no one 'abducted' Carter."

"Jack's right," Daniel said, "I was there."

"As was I," Teal'c added, shooting a death stare at Pete.

"Of course you'd both cover for your commanding officer," Pete argued.

"Sir," Sam addressed General Hammond, "I'm afraid Officer Shanahan has pulled you into the middle of a domestic dispute."

"I don't understand," Hammond studied her closely, and she realized he'd finally seen the remnants of her split lip.

"Officer Shanahan and I were in a physical altercation yesterday right before SG-1 showed up at my home to pick me up for a camping trip," Sam stared at a spot on the wall not wanted to see the looks on anyone's face as she explained. The embarrassment was overwhelming. "I told Officer Shanahan to pack his stuff and leave before I got back. That's all I know."

"Sweetheart, you know none of that is true!" Pete acted hurt by her words. "What did O'Neill threaten you with to get you to lie?"

"For cryin our loud!" Jack growled, "you don't actually believe this guy?!"

"I don't know what's going on here," Mark said looking between Sam and Pete. "All I know is one of my best friends called me upset about my sister disappearing. Again. I need answers, Samantha, and I need them now."

"Why don't we all take a minute," Hammond interrupted. "I need to speak with my officers, then we can all sit down and discuss this."

"I'm not comfortable allowing Sam to be alone with O'Neill," Pete argued.

"Allowing me!?" Sam practically shouted and took a step forward.

"Easy Major," Jack grabbed her shoulder lightly and glared at Pete. "General?" Jack raised his eyebrows at Hammond.

"Mr. Shanahan," Hammond practically growled, "Need I remind you that _Colonel_ O'Neill," Hammond emphasized his rank,"is interim commander of this base and _Major _Carter is his second-in-command. They have the full support of Dr. Weir, myself, and the President of the United States."

"Of course, sir," Pete replied, obviously pretending deference.

"Airman Green will show you both to the VIP quarters," Hammond said, dismissing the two civilians as he followed SG-1 out the door.

OoooOoooOoooO

As soon as the door to Hammond's office closed Sam spoke, "Sir, you cannot believe—"

"Of course not, Major," General Hammond interrupted her, "I know you both much better than that. It helps that Daniel and Teal'c were witnesses, but it wasn't necessary."

"Thank you, sir," Sam let out a deep sigh.

"I would like to know what happened between you and Pete Shanahan," he ordered, his voice softening slightly. He had a pretty good idea of what transpired, but he needed to hear it from her.

"After leaving the base yesterday morning, I went home and told Pete I wanted to postpone the wedding. He accused Colonel O'Neill and me of improper behavior," she added as Hammond watched Jack's head whip toward her.

"You never told me that, Carter," he sounded surprised. Hammond made note of his reaction.

"The argument escalated and he backhanded me across the face," Sam finished, ignoring Jack's interruption. "I ordered him to pack up and leave."

Hammond nodded while he processed the information. As Sam's godfather he wanted to murder Pete Shanahan, but as a seasoned Air Force General, he knew they needed to proceed carefully.

"Shanahan convinced your brother to file a formal complaint with the Air Force Inspector General implicating this base, alleging abuse against you, and accusations of improper conduct by your superior officer," Hammond explained. "I intercepted the complaint and postponed leaving, but Mark is shining a pretty big spotlight on our operations here. Needless to say the brass in Washington won't be happy."

"So Shanahan is using Sam's brother to do his dirty work," Daniel shook his head. "You've got to be able to arrest him or something. Surely filing a false report breaks all sorts of laws, let alone his assault on Sam."

"It's not that simple, Daniel," Sam replied. "Anyone has a right to file a complaint with the AFIG, and complaints by civilians are taken very seriously, especially those of family members. He convinced Mark to submit the complaint, so technically Pete's hands are clean. Besides, it's his word against mine about the assault."

"Major Carter is correct," Hammond acknowledged grimly. "The easiest way to make this all go away is for Mark to rescind the complaint before I'm required to forward it up the chain. Something like this can ruin careers."

"You saw him out there," Jack pointed to the closed door. "The shrub has Mark convinced Sam is in danger. He's not going to just drop everything because she asks him to. He'll assume she's under orders from us to cover it up."

"The only thing I don't understand," Sam added, "is why Pete would do this at all. All we really need to do is read Mark into the Stargate Program. My Dad's been pushing for it anyway. If he knew what I do, why I occasionally get hurt and disappear, he'd probably be pissed, but would drop the complaint."

"Pete likely thinks this will tarnish your and Jack's careers permanently," Daniel suggested. "He probably has some twisted belief that your disgrace will drive you back into his arms."

"Maybe," Jack said hesitantly, "but my gut says there's something else going on. This reeks of something Kinsey or the NID would be orchestrating. Forgive me Carter," he sent her a semi-sympathetic look, "but Shanahan isn't smart enough to to cook this up on his own."

"I agree," Hammond said, happy his team had derived the same conclusions as him. "There's more to this than simple revenge against Colonel O'Neill or Major Carter. Given Kinsey's recent disgrace and firing, we can't ignore the possibility of his involvement or the NID's."

"When a Jaffa wishes to test the loyalties of a suspected spy, they are taken on an impossible mission through the Stargate," Teal'c said. "When faced with mortal peril the truth is often revealed."

"Unfortunately, we don't have the option," Hammond replied.

"Wait a second, General," Jack cocked his head in thought. "Maybe we do."

"What are you suggesting?" Hammond didn't like the gleam in the Colonel's eye, but knew Jack's ideas were usually crazy enough to work.

"Instead of just reading Carter's brother into the Stargate program, let's show it to him," Jack grinned.

"You can't be serious, sir," Sam protested.

"Wait a second, Sam," Daniel said as a smile settled onto his face. "That's not a bad idea. Pete would never expect it."

"We give Mark access to first hand knowledge about what we do," Jack continued. "You know the shrub will insist on coming along. We make him think it's his idea, then once off-world we pretend to save his life, get him to let his guard down, and talk. One way or another."

"Plus we can protect your brother from whoever is pulling Pete's strings," Daniel urged. "If this is Kinsey or the NID, Mark is in danger if he rescinds his complaint without us exposing them first. It'll be harder to reach him off-world."

Hammond watched as Sam listened to the plan take shape. It was a risk, but it was also the only viable plan they had. "I'd like to bring Jacob in on this," he told her. "This involves you and your brother; he should be here. The Tok'ra may be able to provide another layer of protection for Mark."

"I agree, sir," Sam said; the decision made. Pete Shanahan and Mark Carter were about to get a crash course in gate travel.


	6. Chapter-6

"You want me to do what?!" Mark Carter shouted at his sister and her commanding officer from across the table. "You're joking, right?"

His sister had just told him she travelled to other worlds via an alien device called the Stargate and that her deep space telemetry was a cover.

"No joke," Jack smirked.

Mark had no idea what to expect when he'd met Colonel Jack O'Neill, but the man in front of him with an incredibly dry sense of humor was not it. When Pete told him Sam had broken off their engagement because her commanding officer was forcing her into a compromising situation, Mark had been livid. He immediately reacted and followed Pete's advice about filing a report with the AFIG. Pete was a cop after all, and one of Mark's best friends; he had no reason to doubt him. But now, his gut was screaming that something wasn't right. Or maybe it was just learning every single thing he believed about the universe was wrong. Or maybe it was that while Colonel Jack O'Neill had the military-alpha thing down, there was something else—especially the way he interacted with Sam.

"Holy Hanna," Mark muttered; noticing Sam and her CO share a quick amused look. He didn't know what just happened, but some inside joke had just been shared. "Does Dad know?"

"Jacob knows," Jack said quickly, giving Sam an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Mark frowned at the exchange; he didn't like being kept in the dark.

"Dad will actually meet us on the other planet," Sam said too smoothly. "He'll explain his involvement when we get there."

"Did you know about all this?" Mark asked Pete who was sitting stiffly in the chair beside him.

"Pete knows," Sam said.

"She told me a few months ago," Pete confirmed.

"So you knew why she disappeared for days on end?" Mark didn't like that Pete had lied about this; his story wasn't adding up.

"Somewhat, but I couldn't tell you anything without breaking the NDA," Pete bristled. "Besides, I know there's something else going on."

"He's right," Sam interrupted, causing Pete's eyebrows to shoot to the sky. "There's a lot more to this than I'm telling you, more than he knows. Which is why I'd like to take you through the Stargate. I want to show you what I do and why it's so important.

OoooOoooOoooO

Jack had to bite back the grin when Pete fell predictably into their trap. As soon as Sam told Mark she wanted to take him through the Stargate, the spud started protesting.

"Carter," Jack sighed almost too dramatically, "it's your call. If you want Shanahan to go, I'll make it happen."

The look on Pete's face was priceless. He looked both like he was going to faint and like his eyes were going to pop out of his head.

"You'd do that?" Pete choked out.

"Sure," Jack lied. "If that's what it takes. I refuse to let anything drive a wedge between Carter and her brother."

Jack's gaze flickered over to Mark who was watching him closely. He'd been prepared to dislike any man who'd be friends with an asshat like Pete, but Jack found himself in a dilemma. He'd actually found Mark interesting. He wasn't a genius like Carter, but the man was clearly intelligent. And he clearly cared about his sister. Plus, unless Jack was mistaken, Mark had already started noticing the holes in Pete's story. Jack didn't like using him to get to Pete, it seemed almost as slimy as Pete convincing him to file that bogus report. But it was a necessary evil. Mark would eventually discover the truth, but then he'd realize he was a pawn on both sides. The question was what would he do when he found out.

OoooOoooOoooO

Sam materialized through the event horizon of the wormhole and immediately turned around to watch her brother come through. Like most people on their first trip, Mark stumbled out of the Stargate with a mixture of awe and seasickness. Next to him, Pete was bent over trying to not to hurl.

"Whoa! What a rush!" Mark stood up, only slightly swaying, a big grin on his face.

"I think I said something similar after my first time through," Jacob chuckled, climbing the stone steps to greet his kids.

"Hi Dad," Sam gave him a hug.

"What happened here?" Jacob held her chin in his thumb and forefinger, tipping her face toward the sun.

"I'll tell you later," Sam replied, unable to stop her eyes from cutting to Pete. She watched a darkness descend over her Dad's face as he followed her gaze.

"Don't react," Jack said beside her, so low that only she and her father could hear him. In response, Jacob gave a single nod and hid his scowl. Sam had the distinct impression Selmac was helping him curtail his reaction.

"Mark!" Jacob turned toward his son. "You don't know how long I've wanted to tell you about all of this," he pulled him into a slightly uncomfortable-looking hug.

"Hi Dad," Mark said stiffly, before finally relaxing. "Sam explained most of it. I must admit, for once, I understand the secrecy."

"You must be Pete," Jacob said extending his hand. Sam watched as Pete hesitated briefly. The smile he plastered on his face was so fake it was painful to watch. As Pete shook hands, Jacob's eyes flashed gold. "I am Selmac, allow me to welcome you to what would have been the Tok'ra's future home."

Pete jerked backward, but Selmac held onto his hand firmly.

"Holy shit!" Pete cried out, wrenching his hand away and finally stepping back two paces.

Sam smothered a laugh at the spectacle. What the hell had she ever seen in this guy?

"Might want to check your pants, Shanahan," Jack mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Forgive me," Selmac said; however, everyone could hear the laughter in his voice. "It was not my intention to frighten you."

"You weren't kidding, we're you?" Mark asked his sister tentatively.

"Nope," she popped the 'p' at the end and grinned at him. She'd warned her brother about the blending, but knew he wouldn't grasp the gravity of what their dad had become until he saw it firsthand.

"I'm sure you have questions," Jacob said, reassuming control of his body and dismissing Pete. "Selmac and I will gladly answer all of them, but right now we've got to get moving. An operative just sent word Ba'al has discovered the location of this base."

"Ball?" Mark asked.

"Ba'al," Sam corrected him.

"Kinda tall, black hair, a real pain in the ass," Jack said unfazed. "Absolutely no sense a humor."

"He's a Goa'uld System Lord," Sam told them after giving Jack an exasperated look. "You remember, I explained about them?"

"Evil snake in the head, world domination type—"

"Sir," Sam interrupted. "Now might not be the best time."

"Okay, okay," Jack shot her a grin. "What's the plan dad?" He asked Jacob, who saw Pete's gaze darken at Jack calling him dad.

"We're going to gate to a planet called Nebbles," Jacob said as he dialed in the address. "The Tok'ra have made a few friends there. They are fairly primitive but welcoming to strangers. As far as we can tell, the Goa'uld don't know about their planet yet."

As the Stargate engaged, a blast from the sky rained down as two Death Gliders sliced through the clouds. The first blast struck a few yards away from Sam, the force of the impact launching her backwards and onto the stone steps.

"Carter!" Jack yelled as the second and third blasts sent dirt and debris into the air. He reached her just as she regained her bearings. Wrapping an arm around her back, he hauled her upwards and started toward the gate. "Time to go!" He called to the others, glad to see Daniel, Teal'c, and Jacob had grabbed Pete and Mark and we're headed through the gate.

"Sam!" Jack heard Mark call, followed by Daniel's voice telling him "Jack's got her. Trust me, he'll never leave her behind."


	7. Chapter-7

Super short chapter, but I'm giving you some Sam and Jack goodness...so hopefully you'll forgive me!

0—0—0—0—0

Sam sat on a knoll beside the Stargate as her CO carefully probed her shoulder and ribs for injuries. She'd landed hard on the stone steps, but so far didn't seem to have any broken bones. She inhaled sharply as he hit a particularly painful spot and flinched away.

"I don't think anything's broken," he said, stepping back. "I can wrap your ribs if you want."

"I'm good, sir," she pulled down her shirt and glanced across a clearing to make sure Pete and Mark couldn't hear them. While Mark was engaged in an animated conversation with Daniel, Pete's eyes were trained on her and Jack.

Jack followed her eyes and looked over his shoulder at Pete. "Someone doesn't look too pleased."

"I hate that he's here," Sam admitted. She'd been keeping her emotions bottled up ever since coming face-to-face with Pete this morning. "I know I agreed to this, but—"

"I get it," Jack pulled two aspirin out of the med pack. "You're being forced to play nice with the guy who hurt you. I've been there."

Sam nodded. He did get it, was probably one of the few people who had first hand knowledge of what she was going through.

"After Jonas, I swore I wouldn't trust any man with my heart unless I was positive he was kind and honorable," she took the aspirin and downed them with a gulp of water from the canteen. "I feel like I can't even trust my own instincts anymore."

"Your brother vouched for him, Carter," Jack reasoned. "I'm not saying it's Mark's fault," he added when she started to protest. "I'm just saying you probably let your guard down because of it. It's not a crime to trust the wrong person; it's just life."

"You're probably right, sir."

"Of course I'm right," he gave her a light pat on the shoulder. "You good to continue playing nice?"

With a pained laugh, she shook the soreness and emotions aside. "Yes, sir."

"For the record," Jack slung his pack onto his back and grabbed Sam's so she wouldn't have to carry it, "I'm having a really hard time playing nice too. We should have came up with a better plan."

She groaned as she started to stand, "almost getting blown up wasn't part of the plan to begin with."

"No it wasn't," Jack replied, offering his hand and hauling her onto her feet. "If he gets on your nerves too much, we could always send him back to the SGC."

"The IDC is damaged, sir," she told him. At his blank stare she added, "they wouldn't know to open the iris."

"I believe that's the point," Jack deadpanned.

"Sir," Sam said, chuckling. "Don't tempt me."


	8. Chapter-8

This is a busy chapter and I hope it makes up for the super short last one. As much as I jump between points of view, I probably should have broker this up into two or three small chapters, but I didn't want to draw it out that long.

0—0—0—0—0

"What the hell are they doing over there?" Pete snarled as he watched Jack run his hands over his fiancee—he refused to believe she'd thrown him out. If O'Neill didn't take his hands off of her, Pete was going to remove them himself.

"Sammy fell hard," Jacob said in an irritated tone. "Jack's checking her out. Standard mission protocol. How about you; you alright?"

"I'm fine," Pete reigned in his anger so Sam's father wouldn't see how badly he wanted to punch something. Right now he didn't know who he was more mad at, Sam or O'Neill. If she wouldn't have ran off with her CO yesterday, they could have worked out their issues. All of this was her fault. The bitch really needed to learn not to push his buttons.

Pete realized Jacob was watching him closely. He wondered if Sam had already lied and told her father the fight was all his fault. Maybe he should play nice and do some damage control. "I just love her so much, ya know?"

"Sure," Jacob replied.

Pete forced a half smile. "Sam makes me crazy sometimes. I react without thinking. I know she enjoys her work, but I worry she's in too much danger. I just wish she wasn't so stubborn about all of this."

"Being on SG-1 is dangerous," Jacob conceded. "But Sammy can take care of herself. She loves being a part of the SGC and she's saved all our backsides. Earth wouldn't be here today without her. I'd never ask her to give that up, would you?"

"Of course not," Pete lied; inside he was cursing. Jacob didn't care if his daughter risked her life? Apparently that snake in his head wasn't allowing him to think straight because no sane father would be okay with allowing his daughter to go galavanting across the universe. Maybe he needed to drive some distance between Sam and her father. He'd done a pretty good job distancing her from her team until yesterday. It was only a matter of time before she came crawling back to him. Until then, it was apparent she didn't have any good influences in her life, and it was his responsibility as her future husband to change that.

OoooOoooOoooO

"Does stuff like this happen very often?" Mark asked Daniel, slightly hyperventilating.

Daniel had been calmly talking with Sam's brother for the past several minutes, trying to prevent the shock he knew was threatening to overwhelm him.

"More often than I'd like to admit," Daniel said, placing a hand on Mark's shoulder and guiding his head between the man's knees. "Take a couple more slow breaths," he directed. "We're safe here."

"And you're ok with almost getting blown up?!"

"I admit it's dangerous out here," Daniel conceded, "but you're only seeing one side. There are many more good guys than bad guys."

"The bad guys just have the fire power," Mark said, finally breathing normally.

"Don't they always," Daniel agreed, happy to see the man was slowly coming out of his state of panic.

Mark stood up and looked around, his eyes settling on his sister and her CO several yards away. Daniel followed his gaze to see Jack slowly checking Sam for injuries. The way his hands ran across her skin under her shirt was almost sensual; certainly not how an officer usually checked a subordinate. It was something Daniel had witnessed at least a dozen times, but each time he felt like some sort of voyeur.

"Is Pete right?" Mark asked softly. "What's going on with Sam and O'Neill?"

Daniel weighed his options, but finally settled on the truth. "Sam and Jack have never crossed the line."

Mark turned to him with a disbelieving look. "That wasn't my question," he looked back at the couple.

"How are you both doing?" Jacob asked, walking up with Pete beside him.

"Uninjured," Mark said, tearing his eyes away from his sister, "but definitely shaken up."

"Sounds about right," Jacob clapped him on the back. "Just so you know, it's not like this all the time. Some days we're the ones doing the shooting."

"That makes me feel so much better," Mark rolled his eyes, causing Daniel to laugh. Sam's brother might be a civilian, but he definitely had some of that Carter fire running through his veins.

OoooOoooOoooO

"There's good news and bad news," Jack announced as he and Sam rejoined the group. He made sure to keep himself between Sam and the slug. She had to play nice, but at least he could run interference whenever possible. "Good news is we got away. Bad news is we can't gate back home."

"Why not?" Mark asked, looking a little panicked. Jack had to hand it to him, not many people could handle their first Stargate experience immediately followed by almost being blown up, and come out of it not shaking in their boots. Regardless of his feelings about the military, Mark was a Carter through and through.

"This is an IDC," Sam held it out to him. "When I was thrown backwards, it broke. I need to fix it so the SGC knows to open the iris."

"That thing you said kept enemies out?" Mark's eyebrow quirked. "The one that keeps people like us from rematerializing?"

"That's the one," Jack said gleefully.

"Oh," Mark paused. "Can you fix it?"

"Of course she can," Jack bristled in her defense. "Carter is the foremost expert on everything Stargate related, and besides, she can fix anything."

"Thank you, sir," Sam smiled as Mark sent her an 'in awe' look.

OoooOoooOoooO

Jacob looked up as Jack sauntered up next to him. Daniel and Teal'c had taken Pete and Marc to clean up in a nearby creek. Sam was diligently working on the IDC, which left Jack with not much to do besides annoy dad. "So where'd ya bring us?"

"A small, supposedly uninhabited planet," Jacob replied without taking his eyes off the virtual map displayed in front of him. "The Tok'ra used to stash weapons and technology at a hidden outpost four clicks north of the Stargate on this planet," he pointed to the map.

"Looks like pretty rough terrain between here and the outpost," Jack said calmly.

Jacob watched SG-1's leader digest the information in front of him. The first time he'd met Jack, he hadn't been impressed by the young and overly sarcastic Lieutenant. Over the years, however, the name O'Neill kept popping up on several impressive briefing reports that crossed Jacob's desk. When he'd finally met him again as a seasoned Colonel and the commander of SG-1, Jacob had to admit his opinion had greatly changed. The man before him was one of the best officers he'd ever met, and he was pleased Sam was serving under him. That was until Jake noticed Jack noticing Sam.

"You ever known the Tok'ra to do anything the easy way?" Jacob replied with a self-depreciating laugh.

"Nope," Jack answered, popping the 'p' in the same way Sam had earlier.

Hiding his smile, Jacob wondered, not for the first time, how much Jack had to do with Sam calling off the wedding. From what George had told him, Pete was more than a little upset with her. If he hadn't been assured that Jack was with Sam the entire time after the assault, Jacob probably would have done more than let Selmac scare the crap out of the coward who'd struck his little girl. Of course he knew his little girl would wring his neck if she could hear him call her that.

"Sam alright after that blast?" Jacob changed the subject.

"She's got a couple of bruised ribs, but she's had worse," Jack answered in a dark tone. "You really should have given us a heads up about the glider attack."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jacob asked. "The Death Glider was your people."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

"Jacob, I swear it wasn't us," Jack said seriously. "If it was one of my men, I would court martial them for injuring Carter."

"Then who the hell tried to kill us?" Jacob practically yelled.

"The better question is who the hell knew we were going to be there," Jack growled. "Did you inform the Tok'ra High Council about our plan?"

"No one knows," Jacob admitted. "I had just finished an undercover mission when George contacted me. I left without telling anyone."

"Fantastic," Jack cursed. "Then the SGC probably has a mole."

"So are we actually cut off from help?" Jacob realized.

"It gets better," Jack sighed. "The IDC really is damaged. Carter found it strange that it broke so easily in her fall, but I'm beginning to wonder if it was tampered with to begin with."

"Damn," Jacob said under his breath as a thought suddenly crossed his mind. "We're sitting ducks here."

"My thoughts exactly," Jack agreed. "The only saving grace is we had no idea where you were taking us, so neither does the mole."

"It won't take whoever is after us long to figure out where we went," Jacob said, "not if they know how to download the data from the DHD control crystal."

"We need to let Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c know the situation has changed and come up with a plan B," Jack turned to gather his team.

"Jack," Jacob waylaid him, "George filled me in on what happened with Sam back home."

"I assumed," was Jack's only reply.

"He also told me you showed up at the perfect time."

"A little too late I'd say," Jack gritted his teeth.

"I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but for what it's worth, thank you for protecting my daughter."

Jacob expected a glib remark or sarcasm from the younger man, so he was surprised when Jack just nodded before heading off toward the others


	9. Chapter-9

It was difficult to convince Pete to go with Jacob to scout out the area while SG-1 regrouped to discuss their options. The cop protested, accusing them of keeping him in the dark. It didn't help that he was right. In the end, Sam pretended to be friendly and asked him to help because her ribs were sore. Not wanting to look like a total tool, Pete begrudgingly agreed.

"What's goin on Sammy?" Mark asked as soon as Pete was out of sight. "You've never been one to ask for help."

"I'm gonna level with you—" Jack started.

"Sir, let me," Sam urged and at his resigned nod, pulled her brother to the side. "Mark, this entire mission was a set up from the beginning. We think a group called the NID has gotten to Pete, convinced him to help them undermine the SGC."

"You think Pete is what," he scoffed, "some sort of spy?"

"Shanahan's too stupid to be a spy," Jack interjected with a harsh laugh. "At most he's a clueless lackey."

"Sir—" Sam scolded at Mark's angry look. Now was not the time to bring his personal feelings about Pete into the situation.

"I refused to see the red flags, but the last few days," she trailed off a bit. "He convinced you to file a complaint with the AFIG. That's one of the little known avenues civilians have to shine a light onto the inner workings of the Air Force. Given what you've accused us of, we're lucky General Hammond intercepted the report."

"Of course he did," Mark said through gritted teeth.

"I'm hoping you'll rescind it," Sam told him gently, reaching for his forearm.

"You can't be serious! What's going on out here needs to be investigated!" Mark growled. "I don't care if it was planned or not, these people," he pointed to her team, "convinced you to drag me out here under false pretenses. We've been shot at, you're hurt, and we can't even get home!"

"I admit it hasn't gone as well as we had hoped," she conceded. "But that's why we're reading you in now. What happened on the other planet wasn't planned. Someone knew we were going to be there."

"What are you saying? That your little bogus plan isn't so fake anymore," he asked incredulously.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"Look," Jack finally spoke. "Regardless of how you feel, the danger is real and I'm convinced Pete has something to do with it."

"Jesus Sam," Mark threw up his hands. "How can you think that? You're engaged to the man!"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm not."

"What?" Mark stopped suddenly and looked at her. "Since when?"

"Since yesterday."

"So you're just going to throw away the chance at a decent life with a good guy," he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Look," Sam stepped away from her brother, not wanting to get into specifics. "All you need to know is Colonel O'Neill did not coerce me into anything the other day. I left with him of my own free will after getting into a fight with Pete."

Mark studied her closely. "Were you ordered to break up with him? The military says jump and you always ask how high. Or is Pete right?" He gestured angrily at Jack, "are you simply covering up that you're screwing your commanding officer?"

"Hey!" Jack got in between them and forced Mark back a couple of paces without touching him. "I don't care who you are, you don't speak to one of my people like that. For Christ sake, she's your sister. Carter is one of the most talented and intelligent officers I have ever served with. I'd trust her with my life; in fact I have on multiple occasions. You may not agree with her. You may not like me. But you will respect her." Jack turned to Sam. "Tell him."

"Tell me what?" Mark said stiffly.

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Everyone else on this planet knew the truth, why not her brother. "The reason I left Pete was because he hit me." There, the truth was out.

"What are you talking about?" Mark shook his head as if trying to change what she'd said.

"Right before my team showed up, Pete and I got into an argument. He accused me of improper behavior," she refused to look at Jack. "I know more words were exchanged and I don't remember exactly who said what, but he ended the fight by backhanding me across the face. I think it would have gotten more physical if they," she gestured at the team, "hadn't been knocking on the door."

"Carter answered the door with a swollen cheek and a split lip," Jack told him.

"And you let the guy live?!" Mark said after several seconds, shocking them all, and drawing a harsh laugh from Jack.

"Against my better judgement," Jack told him.

"Sammy, why didn't you just tell me?" Mark suddenly hauled her into his arms.

Sam was stunned speechless as she slowly embraced her brother. "We haven't exactly been on the best terms," she said cautiously. "Pete is one of your best friends. I wasn't sure you'd believe me."

"Was," Mark hugged her tighter before stepping back. "Was one of my friends. I'm not friends with people who hurt my sister."

"Wow," Sam shook her head. "I should have given you more credit."

"And I really wish you would have just told me all of this. Would have saved us a heap of trouble."

"Not exactly," Daniel said. He and Teal'c had been off to the side, quietly suppressing their need to make Mark understand. "We still need to figure out who Pete is working with."

"Daniel Jackson is correct," Teal'c agreed. "I see no reason not to continue with the original mission."

"Which was?" Mark hesitantly asked.

"You see," Daniel began, "the Jaffa have this—"

"We were going to scare it out of him," Jack interrupted.

"Yes, that," Daniel glared.

"Which is why we thought Dad had arranged for the Death Glider," Sam explained. "It turns out that wasn't his doing."

"Wait, so if it wasn't dad and it wasn't you, then who was flying it?" Mark looked at her as his understanding finally dawned.

"Exactly," Sam said. "That's what we need your help to find out."

"My help—what in the world can I do?"

"I'm glad you asked," Jack said with an evil smile.


	10. Chapter-10

The attack came in the middle of the night. Pete had no chance to defend himself as a black hood was thrown over his head and his hands were roughly bound behind his back. His years of being a cop and dealing with unexpected situations was the only reason he didn't freak out or whimper.

Two sets of hands hauled him upward as his assailants spoke a language he didn't understand. Pete hesitated at first; the attack was early by about a day, but he decided to play along.

"Get your hands off of me!" He heard Sam order, followed by sharp sound of something hitting human flesh. She emitted an unladylike grunt, then went silent. Pete smiled under the darkened hood; served her right for forcing him into this situation.

He knew whoever was attacking them wouldn't hurt her; he was very specific about that stipulation during the negotiation. While he wanted her roughed up, maybe even slightly injured, he insisted that the worst of it would be stopped—by him. Pete wanted to be her rescuer, her savior. She'd have no choice except to forgive him if he saved her life. Of course if O'Neill and the others didn't make it out alive, that'd be okay too.

"Hey!" He protested as there was a sharp shove to his shoulder, causing him to stumble. Manhandling him wasn't part of the plan! Gripping his hands behind him, he rubbed the skin between his thumb and forefinger, feeling the tracker that had been implanted deep into his skin.

It had taken him some fancy footwork to get word to The Trust about the unexpected off-world travel. He didn't know who they'd sent after them, but was assured it was a trustworthy Goa'uld. So far, Pete couldn't figure out why Sam hated them so much. The snakes, as she called them, seemed like typical criminals. As long as he stayed one step ahead, it'd all be fine.

"Cree!" A deep male voice screamed next to his ear. He'd only ever met one Goa'uld, but they'd shared the same creepy deep tone that he'd just heard.

"Back off alien assholes!" He barked, thinking he might as well pretend to be the brave one, in case anyone was watching. He hadn't heard 'Sam's guys' fight back yet. Maybe they were already dead. That'd make things interesting.

A strange noise caught his attention a moment before electricity shot through his body. Well that's not part of the plan, he thought, as the world faded away.

OoooOoooOoooO

"You enjoyed that a little too much," Jack quirked an eyebrow at Teal'c who holstered his zat.

"I do not know what you mean," Teal'c said with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Sure you don't," Jack rolled his eyes as he went over to see how Daniel was doing. He walked up just in time to see the archeologist climb back onto his feet.

"Remind me never to piss you off for real," he told Sam as he rubbed his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Daniel," Sam sounded contrite. "You were the one who insisted we make it sound real."

"Shake it off, Danny," Jack clapped him on the back, making the man wince. "She went easy on you."

"Do you think he bought it?" Mark asked from the sidelines. "He seemed awfully calm for someone who was being attacked."

"Unless he was expecting it," Jacob said as he reassumed control of his body. "Mark has a point. I expected him to fight more."

"Carter," Jack ordered, "go ahead and scan him."

Sam carried a small black box over to the unconscious Pete and slowly passed it over his body. When it beeped rapidly, she rolled him onto his back. "He's got some sort of implant in his hand," she pointed to the fleshy spot between his thumb and fingers and handed the scanner to her dad.

"Son of a bitch," Jacob growled right before his eyes flashed gold. "It appears to be a Goa'uld tracking chip," Selmac finished telling them. "Old technology, but effective at relaying specific locations across vast distances."

"Any idea which Goa'uld it belongs to?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"No," Selmac answered before Jacob re-emerged and handed the scanner back to Sam.

"Uh fellas," she drew their attention. "According to this, the tracker is still operational. The zat blast didn't short it out like we expected. Someone is receiving our exact coordinates as we speak."

"So Pete Shanahan was transmitting our location; therefore he was likely expecting some type of attack," Teal'c inferred.

"Looks that way," Jack agreed. "We better move." He and Teal'c hauled Pete upward and followed the others toward the gate.

"Where should we go?" Daniel asked once they reached the DHD.

"They'll be able to track us wherever we go," Sam said gravely. "We might get a one day reprieve depending on who is tracking our movements."

"Can we cut the tracker out of his hand?" Mark asked, but cringed at the implication.

"Goa'uld tracking tech is fairly invasive," Jacob told his son. "We need to render it inoperable instead, but I don't have the necessary supplies here. I don't want to risk taking him to a Tok'ra base and revealing its location."

"So what do we do?" Mark looked between them frantically.

"We need to go somewhere that the Goa'uld won't be a threat to the people. The Asgard?" Sam asked.

"They are still recovering from the Replicator attack," Daniel told them. "I doubt they have the resources to spare. The surviving Tollen owe us a favor."

"Not gonna happen," Jack sighed. "They barely have enough to rebuild their civilization. Plus they're too damned stubborn and arrogant."

"The free Jaffa would help," Teal'c offered.

"They probably don't have access to the technology we need," Jacob said.

"What about the Nox?" Sam provided after some thought. "Lya has always helped us before. At the very least she should be able to cloak us until we come up with a better idea."

"Good enough for me," Jack said. "Daniel, dial it up. We're headed to P3X-774."


	11. Chapter-11

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! It's really hard for me to find time to post on the weekends, so forgive my lack of a new chapter until now. Hopefully this'll help with any Monday blues!

0—0—0—0—0

"Hello friends," Lya welcomed SG-1 with literal open arms. She gently embraced each team member in turn before shifting her focus to the three unknown people.

"You are Tok'ra," she bowed her head slightly to Jacob. "Welcome to our world."

"Lya," Sam smiled at the woman, "this is my dad, Jacob and his symbiote is Selmac."

"I know," Lya smiled her knowing smile as if Sam had said something funny. "And you are Carter's brother," she gave Mark a featherlight hug. "You are welcome, too."

"Thank you," Mark replied with a note of uncertainty.

"This one," Lya cocker her head thoughtfully at the unconscious Pete, "I sense a great hostility within him."

"That's one way to put it," Jack mumbled, earning him an elbow to the ribs from Daniel.

"Lya, we come seeking sanctuary," Daniel spoke carefully. "Will you help us?"

"Daniel," she spoke softly, "you know our stance on violence."

"We do," he hurriedly reassured her, "and we have the upmost respect for your beliefs. We only ask that you help us evade those who would seek to cause harm."

"Of course," she bowed her head. "Come with me, Nafrayu will be happy to see you again."

OoooOoooOoooO

"These are the people who are more powerful than the Goa'uld?" Mark whispered to Sam as they followed the funky-looking forest lady. "Do they even have electricity?"

"Looks can be deceiving," Sam chuckled. "The Nox may choose to live as one with nature, but don't let that fool you. Their technology is some of the most advanced I've ever seen.

"I'll just have to take your word for it," Mark said, unable to believe what his sister was saying. These people looked helpless.

"Hello!" A small child said, darting out from behind a tree. "It is good to see you again, Carter!" He danced around them excitedly.

"Hi Nafrayu," Sam squatted down and opened her arms for the boy to give her a hug. "You haven't changed much since in the last five or six years."

"Five or six years?" Mark shook his head. "He's what? Ten at the most. I know you don't have kids Sammy, but there's a big difference between a five or six-year-old and ten years old."

Sam stood up, keeping an arm around her little friend. "Nafrayu is about," she paused to look at him. "How old are you in our years?"

"I am thirty of your years," he grinned up at Mark.

"His grandfather was over 430-years-old the last time we visited," Sam laughed at Mark's expression.

"The very young do not always believe what they are told," Jack said with a grin as he jogged by to catch up with Teal'c who was carrying a still unconscious Pete.

"That's not the—" Sam stopped talking and shook her head. "It's the very young do not always do as they are told," she explained.

"True, Carter," Nafrayu nodded thoughtfully, "but the lesson is still the same. Is it not?" He bounded off to toward Daniel.

"He's right," she shrugged. "Guess I'm still one of the young."

OoooOoooOoooO

Jack sat on a surprisingly comfortable log as Nafrayu stoked the campfire. It was nice to relax and let his guard down a little bit, trusting the Nox to shield them from any unwanted guests.

The first time he was on Gaia, he'd been too consumed with the directive to find technology to defend Earth to really stop and appreciate the surroundings. The Nox had buried their gate for many years after that visit, and until this impromptu trip, Jack hadn't set foot back on their planet.

"Pete's awake," Sam said, sitting down next to him on the log. "He's in one of the huts and, so far, has no idea where he is or that we're the ones who 'kidnapped' him," she used air quotes. "He keeps asking for someone named Dolos."

"Any idea who that could be?" He picked up a stick and rolled it between his hands.

"Daniel says Dolos is the Greek god of trickery and deceit," Sam explained. "We're guessing that's the name of the Goa'uld he's working with."

"Good work," he tossed the stick into the fire. "With any luck he'll keep talking and we won't have to force any information out of him."

"Yeah," she replied, sounding unsure.

"Carter, you okay?" Jack turned so he was sitting facing her. "This has got to be difficult for you. I mean," he shifted uneasily, "you were in love with the guy."

"It's not that," she hesitated.

"Then what, because I need to know your head is in the right place."

"I'm the one that brought Pete into all this," she huffed out a deep breath. "If it wasn't for me, if I had been honest with myself sooner, we wouldn't even be here."

Jack waved off her concern. "Daniel said the same thing quite a few times," he reminded her. "In fact, I believe I may have even had my fair share of trusting people I shouldn't."

"I know, it's just," she trailed off.

"Just what? That you're a genius?" He chuckled, reading her expression. "I hate to break it to you Carter, but you're a genius in astrophysics and Stargate doohickeys." He draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into the warmth of his body. "You're as incompetent as the rest of us in matters of the heart."

"Thank you, sir," she laughed, resting her head on his shoulder.


	12. Chapter-12

Mark stood outside the hut with Daniel where Pete was being held. His friend—he used the term loosely—had quite a colorful vocabulary. Pete had been screeching most of the night about demanding to see someone named Dolos. If Mark had any doubts about where Pete's loyalties were, they disappeared with each passing hour. It was obvious the man had betrayed them all.

Of course that realization quickly faded into the background as he had watched his sister and her commanding officer sit by the fire. Perhaps, cuddled by the fire would have been a more apt description.

"Tell me the truth, Daniel," Mark had asked without shifting his gaze. "How long has that been going on."

He watched with her peripheral vision as Daniel followed his line of sight, took a deep breadth, and turned to face him. "I told you the truth before, Sam and Jack have never crossed the line. But," he continued when Mark had started to protest. "I've never known two people more perfect for each other."

"So if she's in love with O'Neill, why string Pete along? Why agree to marry him to begin with?"

"I don't think she believed she was stringing Pete along," Daniel said thoughtfully. "She and I had a long talk once after she was stranded aboard the Prometheus. One of our space ships," Daniel had explained. "She finally admitted she was in love with Jack, but also knew it couldn't go anywhere. Neither one of them are willing to put their feelings ahead of the safety of the Earth. So she resolved herself to move on."

"And O'Neill just let her?" He couldn't imagine letting someone you cared about just walk away.

"The idiot respects her enough not to undermine her decisions," Daniel shook his head.

OoooOoooOoooO

Morning came too quickly for Sam as her brain slowly started to engage. Her cheek was pressed against something firm and warm; however, the ground under her was unforgiving. With a small groan, she opened her eyes. It took every ounce of willpower not to gasp as she realized Jack's thigh was her pillow. Carefully, shifting over, she tried not to disturb him. How in the world did she end up in this position? The last thing she remembered was leaning her head against his shoulder. She must have fallen asleep on him.

"Morning Sammy," Mark's cheerful voice drew her attention, causing her slow and careful movements to become jerky. With a jolt, Jack woke up as she sat upright.

"Uh..morning Mark," she replied, feeling like she'd been caught doing the walk of shame after a one night stand. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Oh?" Mark's mouth was hidden behind a cup of coffee, but she had the distinct impression he was amused. "What does it look like?"

"We fell asleep?" She offered, knowing it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"Are you sure about that?" This time Mark's grin was huge. "Don't worry Sammy," he finally told her. "I saw the whole thing. You fell asleep in your CO. He didn't want to wake you, so he shifted you around a bit."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Jack mumbled as he finally woke up the rest of the way. He scrubbed his hands over his face in a futile attempt to rub away the fatigue.

"Nothing," Sam said quickly. "Stop grinning and give me a hand," she rolled her eyes at Mark who obliged by pulling her to her feet. Behind her Jack mumbled something about annoying siblings.

"Congratulations Sammy, you've found someone grumpier than you in the mornings," Mark laughed as she made her way away from them and to an isolated area to freshen up.

The woods were incredibly peaceful as Sam carefully followed one of the trails Nafrayu had shown her yesterday. It ended at a small creek that provided fresh water to Lya and her family.

Bending down, Sam splashed her face as she tried to control her embarrassment at her brother finding her in a semi-compromising position. If it had been Daniel and Teal'c, she might have been a bit shy, but they'd caught her and Jack in much more compromising positions in the past.

There'd been the night she and Jack had been captured and she'd been drugged with some sort of aphrodisiac. She decided to throw herself at her CO, unwilling to take no for an answer. The following morning, Teal'c had found them. Jack had tied her to the bed and slept in a chair across the room. That had been the most embarrassed she'd ever been.

Then there'd been the time she and Jack had been locked in a closet on P2R-354 by a group of kids. It was 90 degrees that day and the closet was barely big enough for one person, let alone two. Daniel had finally found them, but not before they'd both stripped down to their underwear to avoid heat stroke.

For some reason both of those incidents paled in comparison to her brother finding her sleeping on her CO. Growling, she splashed her hands violently through the water and sprang up. Whipping around, she almost ran over Lya, who was standing serenely on the side of the path.

"I'm so sorry," Sam squeaked, stumbling backwards. "I meant no offense, just..." she paused. "I was just frustrated."

"Please do not worry, Samantha," Lya smiled gently. "I understand your anger at the injustice."

"What...what do you mean?" She watched her Nox friend carefully as Lya smiled knowingly.

"It matters not," she gestured for Sam to follow. "Daniel has told me of the device you must fix to get home."

"Yes, the GDO. It transmits our IDC code," Sam explained and Lya nodded in understanding.

"We do not keep such technology near our home, but it can be found in the city," she pointed toward the North and into the sky.

"We are willing to make the trip," Sam said. "Will you take us?"

"I cannot," Lya shook her head. "My place is in the forest with my family. You and Jack O'Neill must go, along with your brother."

"We really shouldn't split up," Sam said concerned. They still had to interrogate Pete.

"You must," Lya implored gently, "it is your journey to take."

"Okay," Sam agreed, not wanting to insult her friend. "But my brother isn't up for such a long trip; he isn't trained. He should remain here where it's cloaked."

"Your brother must accompany you," Lya said firmly, "it is the only way."

"Only way for what?" Sam was starting to get frustrated.

"Let us join the others," Lya smiled broadly, completely ignoring Sam's question. "You leave on your journey when the sun touches the forest floor. You must prepare."


	13. Chapter-13

Super-duper short chapter, but i wanted to post something before I head into surgery this morning. I'll get back to posting daily afterward. Wish me luck!

0—0—0—0

"Tell me again why Lya insisted he come along," Jack jerked his finger toward Mark in a half-humorous, half-serious way, drawing a scowl from Sam's brother. The guy was slowing them down. While Jack typically wouldn't care, Lya had been very specific in them not being cloaked while on this—how did she put it—oh yeah, a journey. Like that didn't sound even remotely ominous.

"His presence is essential," Sam shrugged. "I know he's moving a little slower than we normally travel, but if Lya wanted him here," she shrugged again.

"He's slower than Daniel when the guys discovered new ruins," Jack rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Mark called from ten paces behind them, "I am right here. I can hear you!"

"That's the point," Jack called back over his shoulder before winking at Sam. Truthfully, he wasn't overly upset, but Mark deserved some payback for that little scene this morning. Even if he did just tease his sister, Sam had been embarrassed. Jack has seen her deflate before his eyes and that was unacceptable.

"Sir," Sam came to a halt and motioned to the woods just up ahead. All teasing payback ended as Jack's senses went on full alert.

"Take cover!" He yelled just as a staff blast plowed into the tree next to their heads. Launching himself at Mark, he pulled the man with him as he took cover behind a large, fallen tree. Across the way, Sam was hunkered down behind a grouping of trees, her P90 aimed in the general location of where the blast had come from. Through the trees, a small Jaffa patrol could be seen.

With some quick hand motions, the two officers quickly communicated and formulated a plan. Sam ducked further down and began making her way around, the intent to come up from behind.

"Where's Sammy going!?" Mark whispered fiercely.

"Shhh!" Jack ordered, grabbing a fitful of the guys jacket and pulling him along behind.

"O'Neill, where's my sister!" Mark fought Jack's hold.

"She's going around the long way," he bit out. "Now stay down, follow close, and for the love of god, shut the hell up."


	14. Chapter-14

Thank you for all the well-wishes and get well soons! Surgery went well and I'm pretty much back in my feet. We're waiting on the test results from the biopsies, but the doctor said everything "looked" ok.

The silver lining is that I had time to combine the next two chapters into one longer one. Please forgive any errors due to pain and anesthesia. Enjoy!

0—0—0—0—0

Sam kept low to the ground as she made a wide semi-circle around the Jaffa patrol. Her military training forced her focus to remain on the mission, instead of worrying about her brother and Jack pinned down by staff fire.

Careful not to make any noise, she positioned herself directly behind the Jaffa and squeezed the trigger of her P90. Gunfire exploded onto the group as two of the five Jaffa guards dropped; the others taking cover and returning fire in her direction. Diving behind a tree, Sam darted through the forest before spinning around to fire; dropping another Jaffa with a quick shot.

Jack picked that exact moment to pop up from behind the large fallen tree to take out one of the two remaining guards. Charging forward, he aimed at the final Jaffa. "Drop your weapon!"

"I think not," the guard sneered and jerked his staff weapon upward to fire. Without hesitating, Jack and Sam fired simultaneously, eliminating the threat.

"You good?" Jack called to Sam, motioning Mark out of hiding.

"I'm good. You two?" Sam began walking across the clearing to rejoin them. The cracking of twigs behind her made her tense, as she knew instantly what was coming.

"Sammy!" Mark screamed as a Jaffa who had been hiding, stepped out from behind a tree and grabbed Sam around the neck.

"You will surrender or she dies!" The Jaffa hollered as he jerked Sam backwards.

"Not happening," Jack shook his head, causing the guard's eyes to widen. He obviously hadn't been expecting that response.

"O'Neill!" Mark bit out in protest, but Jack silenced him with a sharp look.

"I will kill your woman!" Their enemy jerked Sam off her feet.

Recognizing her advantage, Sam allowed her body to flow with the momentum and drop. The sudden dead weight threw her captor off balance as he stumbled sideways. Twisting, she broke an arm free and drove an elbow into his face. When his grip loosened, she pulled a tactical knife from her boot. With a quick upward jab, the blade embedded through the Jaffa's neck, rendering him dead before he hit the ground.

Climbing to her feet, she barely had enough time to retrieve her weapon before Mark was pulling her into his arms.

"I thought you were going to die!" He shook slightly. "And you!" He swung around to Jack. "What the hell was that? You risked her life!"

"Calm down, Mark," Sam told him firmly. "Colonel O'Neill knew I could handle myself."

"Carter's been in much worse spots," Jack shrugged as he clipped his P90 to his tack vest. "I knew she could easily take down a single Jaffa."

"My god," Mark finally looked around at the carnage. "How did you take him down, he was twice your size?" He said with a bit of awe.

"Military training," Sam hedged, suddenly embarrassed. Her brother had never seen her in action before. She'd always maintained her cover as a deep space telemetry analyst. He didn't even know about her hours in the cockpit during battle, and that was long before the SGC even existed.

"Holy Hanna, Sammy!" He shook his head. "All this time, I thought you were just some geeky scientist."

"She is," Jack seed cheerfully, "but she's also a badass." He winked at her before tossing her one of the staff weapons.

Sam handed Mark a zat gun. "Remember, these can kill," she reminded him. "But this'll be safer than handing you a loaded gun." She demonstrated the controls, firing on one of the dead Jaffa three times to vaporize the body. "Try it."

"Umm," Mark hesitated.

"He's already dead," Sam told him gently. "We need to erase any signs they found us."

"Who's going to care?"

"The second patrol that isn't far behind," she gestured behind them. "Jaffa almost always split into two or more groups when hunting."

"Hunting?" Mark squeaked.

"Yes, hunting," Jack sighed heavily. "And they undoubtedly heard the firefight. If they catch us before we reach the Nox city, it isn't going to be pretty."

"I thought you said the Nox abhorred violence and would protect us? Isn't that why we came here?"

"That's usually the case," Sam answered.

"You'll find the truly advanced species love to change the rules," Jack's voice dripped with sarcasm and disdain. "For whatever reason, Lya decided we're on our own."

"She probably has her reasons, sir," Sam pushed back. While she agreed with him, she also had learned to give their allies the benefit of the doubt. Something her CO had been burned by one too many times. Most recently he'd trusted the Tok'ra and that had led him to being tortured by Ba'al.

"It doesn't matter," he dismissed the conversation. "We've got a long way to go. Let's put some distance between us and here before setting up camp for the night. I have no desire to engage in another firefight."

"Yes, sir," Sam acknowledged and handed a pack to Mark. "Let's move out."

OoooOoooOoooO

Jack pitched the standard two-man tent as Sam secured the perimeter and Mark gathered firewood. Lya had told them they would be safe at night, and that it was imperative they stay together. Her instructions were no night watches. No night traveling. Nighttime on Gaia was meant for sleeping and the 'Watchmen' made sure of that.

Of course when he'd demanded to know who these Watchmen were, Lya just smiled and ignored him. It didn't matter anyway. They needed to fix the GDO and the only way to do that was getting into the city. Whoever or whatever these Watchmen were, he and Sam had likely dealt with much, much worse.

"Perimeter is secure, sir," Sam announced as she unclipped her P90, but kept it within arms reach. Shrugging out of her tack vest and jacket, she placed her hands on her lower back and arched backwards in an obvious attempt to relieve the tension in her muscles. The last few days had been stressful, and Jack's body was feeling the fatigue, too.

He couldn't help his eyes wandering over her as she stretched. Her eyes were closed, so he allowed himself a few heartbeats to take in the way her breasts pressed outward, straining against the material of her black t-shirt. The way her hair shimmered in the rays of the setting sun. The terribly disheveled golden locks should have appeared messy, but Jack envisioned running his hands through them after spending a passionate night together. Even the two dirt smears on her right cheek were attractive; he'd love to be able to caress them away with his fingers.

Stop it! He corrected himself; she's your second-in-command! Plus, she'd just gotten out of a toxic relationship. Having her CO ogle her wasn't fair or appropriate. Huffing out a harsh breath he turned to find Mark staring at him with a peculiar expression. Caught red-handed, Jack froze as he glanced back at Sam before returning to and holding Mark's gaze. He expected her brother to say something; to call him out, make the situation awkward for everyone, but that's not what happened. Instead, Mark's gaze hardened as he just stared at Jack. It seemed like minutes, but only an actual second or two passed before Mark finally continued past him to dump the wood onto the growing pile.

"Good job, Mark," Sam said, opening her eyes, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

"I think one more load," Mark said. "But I'm going to hang close by," his gaze flickered and Jack received the message loud and clear.

OoooOoooOoooO

Mark shifted uncomfortably on the ground inside the two-man tent. Tonight it was a two man and one woman tent, he qualified to himself. Two very uncomfortable men for very different reasons.

He'd known O'Neill was lusting after his little sister; knew Sam obviously had feelings for her CO. Daniel had confirmed that much, but given that neither of them had supposedly crossed the line, Mark assumed it wasn't much more than a typical overactive male libido for O'Neill. No man would willingly sacrifice being with the woman he loved for honor and duty. At least that's what Mark had thought.

The look on O'Neill's face when Mark had caught him watching Sam was unguarded. The pain Mark saw on his features was heart wrenching, but what really got to him was the open adoration. There was no doubt in Mark's mind now that O'Neill was in love with Sammy. Ironically, Mark was beginning to feel for the man. O'Neill had stood back and watched as Sammy planned an entire life with another man and didn't say a word. He'd been willing to let her have a life without him. He was either the most honorable man alive or the stupidest.

Mark scoffed inwardly. How could Sammy do that to Pete or Jack? She'd turned her back on a man she loved and embraced a man she didn't. Mark resolved to get to the bottom of this. Hell, he'd introduced Sammy to Pete; for that alone he felt somewhat responsible. He might not have been much of a big brother in the past, but it was time he started acting like one now.

Beside him, Sam let out a whimper, followed by a quick cry of pain. Instantly awake, Mark shifted to sit up, but paused as Jack moved first.

"Carter," he said softly, "you're dreaming." When she didn't respond, but whimpered again, he gently touched her the side of her face. "Carter," he said a little louder. "Wake up."

"What's wrong," Mark finally asked as Sam's head began thrashing back and forth.

"Nightmares," Jack replied without looking away from Sam. "She gets them occasionally after a firefight," he explained. "We all do."

"Oh," Mark replied, helpless to do anything except watch.

"Sam," Jack's tone changed, became softer, more intimate, "I'm here. You're safe."

With a jerk, Sam's eyes popped open. Her breathing was harsh as she searched Jack's face. "We're okay," she panted.

"We are," he confirmed. Mark noticed Sam's hand had reached for Jack's and gripped it tightly. "Wanna tell me about it?"

She shook her head quickly, but answered him nonetheless, "Ba'al," she clenched her eyes shut. "Had you. I couldn't save you," her voice cracked slightly.

"C'mere," Jack pulled her into his arms as Sam fought for control of her emotions. "I'm fine, I made it out. You gave me that chance; you never gave up on me."

"You died, over and over," her voice finally broke, shaking as the thick emotion filled the confined space.

"I did," he stroked the back of her head, ran his other hand up and down her back comfortingly, as his face buried in her hair. Despite his own look of anguish, he kept his voice gentle and even. "But I came back. I'll always come back to you."

Mark turned over with his back toward the couple, providing as much privacy as he could, given they were crammed into a tiny tent. Pressing his hands against his eyes, he tried to dissuade the burning tears from falling. Despite Lya's warning, he scrambled out of the tent as the tears started to fall. Not caring who might be waiting, he staggered into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

Hello! While recovering from that emergency hysterectomy I had a bit of time to write. I finished my Timeline story and posted the last three chapters late last night. I can't do that to this story because I wrote a lot of Boyfriend while on pain medication. I'm finding some really interesting errors as I edit/reread what I wrote. But I will post these as soon as I get through each one.

\--BEGIN--

"I demand to see Dolos!" Pete screamed. He had no clue where he was, but after two days in this tiny room, he was ready to kill someone. The only clue he had to what was going on was a young woman who looked like she belonged planted in a garden. He assumed she must be a Goa'uld servant. The simple smile she always wore was irritating and Pete itched to wipe it off of her face.

"As I've told you many times," the young woman said gently, "Dolos is not here."

"Fine then, I want to speak to whomever is here," he said through gritted teeth. "If not Dolos, then surely one of his underlings or whatever," he waved his hands haphazardly.

"I'll see what I can do," she bowed her head slightly and placed a tray of food on the small table. At least his captors were feeding him well. He hadn't seen or heard from Sam since she'd been abducted with him. That wasn't part of the arrangement; at the very least she should be locked in here with him. He'd love the chance to get her alone after the stunt she pulled running away with O'Neill. The bitch.

OoooOoooOoooO

"Your friend grows anxious," Lya told Daniel and Teal'c as she exited Pete's 'room.' "I will not permit you to hold him against his will much longer."

"I know how much this deception pains you," Daniel said gently, "but we appreciate your help."

Lya bowed her head slightly; however, Daniel could tell her patience was wearing thin. Jack, Sam, and Mark had left last night just before dusk on their supposed journey. Daniel understood that Lya saw the overall grand plan of the universe; however, Teal'c and Jacob had fought hard against splitting up. It had taken Lya almost threatening them—which is something Daniel didn't even think she was capable of doing. The Nox were a very interesting and complicated race.

"I know how to end his whining," Jacob scoffed, "give me five minutes alone with him."

"You know I cannot allow that," Lya replied with a slight sternness in her tone. "No harm shall come to to your friend while he resides on Gaia." While her stance was that of a gentle and submissive woman, the fire in Lya's eyes belied her words. Daniel had no doubt Jacob would never get past her.

"Jake," Daniel rested a hand on his shoulder. "You can't touch him while he's here."

"Then let's take him somewhere else," Jacob's voice was laced with malice.

"Help me out here Selmac," Daniel pleaded and was relieved when Jacob's head dropped.

"I share my host's sentiment," Selmac said irritatingly. "Perhaps coming here was a mistake." When Jacob's head dropped again, Daniel sighed deeply.

"See," Jacob smirked evilly, "the little fella and I are in complete agreement."

OoooOoooOoooO

Teal'c watched his friends with a heavy heart. He knew of Jacob's pain, of wanting to inflict pain upon Pete Shanahan for his role in all of this. Not only did he betray his own people to the Goa'uld, he physically hurt Samantha Carter. That alone deserved retribution. However, he also knew that they'd get nowhere like this.

"You are smart and wise," Lya smiled softly at him, her head cocked slightly. "Do not think it escapes my notice that your hard outer shell hides a Nox-like understanding."

Teal'c said nothing, but bowed his head slightly in deference to her. While he disagreed with her assessment of him, he would never want to offend. He might not agree with the Nox, but he had the utmost respect for their beliefs.

"You disagree," Lya read him easily and chuckled. "You see yourself as a very young being, but you are more advanced than you realize."

"The Jaffa may be older than the Tau'ri, but we also have much to learn," Teal'c conceded.

"I did not say the Jaffa were more advanced," Lya surprised him, "it is you who are wise. You already know what must be done."

"I will not betray my friends," he growled more harshly than he'd intended, but she showed no outward reaction.

"Betrayal is but a lack of understanding of the true course," she shrugged in a way Teal'c had not seen before. It was almost a show of exasperation and irritation from a being he did not believe could hold either emotion. "Have I ever lied to you?"

"You have not," Teal'c admitted. "However, you have never asked me to—" he searched for a different word, "deceive my friends."

"I do not ask that now. I only ask that you keep believing in them," she looked directly into his eyes, "believe that they will always have faith in you."

OoooOoooOoooO

"Daniel Jackson, Jacob Carter!" Teal'c called as he came upon them still arguing about what to do with Pete. Daniel had positioned himself in front of the door, and by his body language, was vehemently trying to prevent Jacob from entering.

"Teal'c, what's wrong?" Daniel asked, causing Jacob to swing around.

Teal'c steeled himself for what he was about to do. Slowly raising the Zat, he pulled the trigger as understanding dawned in Daniel's eyes. The man's mouth formed the word 'no' but no sound came out as Teal'c pulled the trigger, effectively stunning both of his friends.

"I shall conceal them," Lya emerged from where she was hidden. "They will be safe. Go quickly."

Holstering his weapon, Teal'c fought against everything inside him screaming against what he was doing. Switfly opening the door to Pete's room, he rushed inside.

"Quickly," he ordered a startled Pete. "You must move now!"

"Teal'c?" Pete ran outside and looked around, but saw nothing except dense forrest. "Where are we?"

"A planet called Gaia," Teal'c told him, "O'Neill, Samantha Carter, and Mark Carter are to the north. They travel to the city," he bit back bile at giving his friends' location away so easily. "They are hunted by Goa'uld."

"Yeah," Pete laughed nervously, "I thought we were all captured."

"You thought wrong," Teal'c couldn't keep the snarl out of his voice. "Go now! I must meet up with the others, but you must go north. Find them."

"Right," Pete spun around in a circle, obviously not knowing which way was north.

"That way," Teal'c pointed the correct direction and resisted rolling his eyes. "Run."


End file.
